The invention relates to a headset comprising at least one headband and at least one earpiece, the headband comprising a headband structure, wherein the headband structure is divided in at least one soft, flexible section and at least one stiff, non-flexible section, at least one sliding spring element, at least one handle element attached to the at least one sliding spring element and at least one guiding element, guiding the relative movement between the headband structure and the at least one sliding spring element.
Headsets with means for adjusting headband stiffness are generally well known. Through suitable spring mechanisms such headsets generally feature the functionality to selectively adjust the contact pressure exerted by the earpieces to the head of the user. Through adjusting the contact pressure to a suitable and individual degree, a user can ensure an optimum level of comfort and acoustic properties, particularly when wearing the headset for a longer period of time, e. g. several hours.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,333,982 B1 discloses a headset that includes a headband coupled to at least one earphone by a high torque resistance pivot which can be manually set. In another aspect of the invention, a headset includes a headband constructed and arranged for transferring a portion of the force applied by the headband to a temporal region of the user, and for modifying the portion of the force applied to the temporal region of the user.
WO 2010/135314 A1 describes a headset that includes an element to be held to the head of a wearer and a headband coupled to the element and configured for engaging a head of a wearer to hold the element thereon. The headband includes a plurality of headband arms coupled to pivot with respect to each other. A torsion spring is positioned between the arms and portions of the torsion spring are coupled to the arms for acting on the arms with a torsion force. An adjustment member is coupled between the torsion spring and a headband arm and is operable for adjusting the torsion force of the torsion spring to adjust the torsion force on the arms.
A personal audio device including a flexible headband is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,170,261 B2. A connector portion connects a second end of the left headband portion with a second end of the right headband portion. The connector portion is linearly adjustable, which enables a distance between the left headband portion and right headband portion to be variable. A change in the distance causes an inversely proportional change in bent compression force applied by a left earphone and applied by the right earphone.
CN 103 067 809 B discloses an earphone headset and an adjustment device to adjust the headband holding force. The adjustment device comprises a bridge and a pair of fasteners each connectable on the left and right side to a headphone headband. By slidingly moving the fasteners up and down along the bridge, the holding force of the earphones can be varied.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,204,267 B2 discloses an earphone having a hoop band for receiving at least one electroacoustic reproduction transducer. The hoop band has at least two hoop band portions which respectively include an angle, wherein at least two of the hoop band portions are rotatably connected together. The hoop band also has at least one adjusting unit for adjusting and fixing the angle, wherein the adjusting unit is coupled to the first and second hoop band portions. Therefore the object of the described invention is to provide headphones and a headset which permits improved adjustability of the hoop band contact pressure force.
US 2013/0343592 A1 discloses a headset having a headband, at least one fork for receiving an earpiece and a receiving portion between an end of the headband and one of the forks. The fork is arranged pivotably about a pivot axis. The fork has a first end having a support element. The receiving portion has a slider having at least two receiving positions. The support element engages into one of the at least two receiving positions of the slider and thus limits the maximum deflection of the fork about the pivot axis. The headset features the possibility to adjust a headband contact pressure force.
The disadvantage of the mentioned approaches and of adjustable stiffness headbands in general is that they require relatively large and bulky spring mechanisms that obstruct the aesthetics of the headset and significantly lower the comfort for the user.
Also, through the necessity of a relative motion between moving parts for adjusting the spring mechanism, such headsets are prone to injuries and malfunctions caused by e. g. hair, fingers or other objects interfering with the motion of the mechanism during adjusting.
Furthermore, an additional challenge exists in the even distribution of contact pressure across the earpiece. Twisting of the head set caused by forces exerted by the spring mechanism leads to discomfort and inferior acoustic properties.
It is therefore desirable to address at least one of the above problems. Headsets with adjustable headband stiffness should be improved with respect to comfort, aesthetics and product safety. At the very last, an alternative design to previous solutions should be put forward.